Pleat forming device

ABSTRACT

A pleat forming device to form pleats in a strip of material such as in the manufacture of curtains. A pair of pivoted arms are each provided with a series of tines at their free ends which intermesh with each other when the arms are closed such that material disposed between the two series of tines will be folded into a series of pleats when the tines intermesh.

United States Patent 91 Kern [451 Apr. 10, 1973 [s41 PLEAT FORMING DEVICE [76]. Inventor: Connie Kern, 909 Kennebec Street,

Pittsburgh, Pa. 15217 [22] Filed: May 26, 1971 21 App]. No.: 147,063-

[52] US. Cl ..223/35 [51] Int. Cl. -,....A41h 43/00, D06j 1/00, DOSb 35/08 [58] Field of Search; ..223/28, 34-36; 132/31, 32, 37

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,530,196 11/1950 .Grierson ..223/36 1,570,012 1/1926 Simmons ..223/36 X 2/1884 Campbell ..223/36X 1/1971 Robie ..223/35 Primary Examiner James R. Boler Assistant Examiner--Geo. V. Larkin Attorney-Carothers & Carothers ABSIRACT A pleat forming device to form pleats in a strip of material such as in the manufacture of curtains. A pair of pivoted arms are each provided with a series of tines at their free ends which interrnesh with each other when the arms are closed such that material disposed between the two series of tines will be folded into aseries of pleats when the tines intermesh.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU APIH 01973 luvzurae. Cauu/E (5 BY ('Azonlsesdfieamms flee ATTOkA/EYS PLEAT FORMING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention This invention relates to means for pleating flexible sheet material ready for sewing.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art In the manufacture of draperies by the nonprofessional in the home, it becomes rather difficult to form the pleats in the heading of a drapery in a fast, consistent and easy manner. It is normal in making such draperies to make a series of pleat groups in the heading of the drapery with uniform spacing between the pleat groups. For example, making such draperies by hand and using a fabric of medium weight, pleat groups of three uniform pleats are generally provided in the drapery heading with a four inch spacing between pleat groups.

When making such pleats by hand, one must measure the spacing between pleat groups and then very carefully fold the fabric into a three pleat group (for example). This is rather difficult as the depth of the pleat must be identical to the previous group of pleats and each pleat must be uniform to its adjacent pleat in the group and all pleats and pleat groups along the heading must be of the same length as well as depth. In order to make this process for the person desiring to make such draperies by hand much simpler, I have invented a novel pleat forming apparatus which will properlyform all the pleats in the heading of the drapery or other material at a constant or uniform depth and length each time it is used to make a group of pleats.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The pleat forming device of the present invention is adapted to fold a flat strip of material into a series of pleats for sewing and comprises a pair of pivoted arms having intermeshable tines secured to their free ends and positioned to fold material in a series of pleats when the arms are pivoted toward each other to intermesh said tines with the material disposed therebetween such that a plurality of uniform pleats are vformed in the strip of material. The. pleated material while still secured in the device may be grasped adjacent the outer ends of the tines to bunch the pleats together at this point, at which time, they may be there pinned temporarily for stitching at a later time. The pleated material may then be withdrawn from the device by sliding the material out of the open end of the intermeshed tines. As this is being done, one may secure the pleats together at other positions therealong as desired.

Preferably, the tines are provided with an adjustment means for adjustment of the spacing between tines in order to compensate for different thicknesses of material used in making draperies or the like.

Also, if desired, one set of tines secured mom of the pivot arms may be provided by a series of parallel blades which will protrude or interleave themselves into the spaces between the other set of tines secured to the remaining pivot arm in order to provide a multiple pleat formation in the material grasped between the two sets of implements.

The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention or the claims thereto, certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. I is a top plan view of one embodiment of the pleating device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the pleating device illustrated in FIG. 1 with portions of the material removed to expose the device.

FIG. 3 is a front end view of the pleat forming device illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, the pleat forming device illustrated comprises a pair of pivot arms 1 and 2 which are pivoted at 3 about the bolt end as indicated. The pivot arms land 2 are provided with manipulating handles 4 and 5, respectively. In this particular embodiment the handles are hollow and in their forward ends they receive the ends of spring 6 secured under nut 7. Spring 6 biases the pivot arms to their open position. However, the pleat forming device is illustrated in its closed position in the drawings.

A first series of spaced parallel tines 8 are mounted to and extending outwardly from the free end of implement arm 2 (as opposed to the handle portion 5 thereof). A second set of parallel tines 9 (in the form of blades) are mounted to and extending outwardly from the free end of the implement portion of arm 1. It will be noted that the first series of tines 8, which are circular in cross section and the second series of tines 9 are positioned to pass and intermesh with each other upon manipulating the arms 1 and 2 together about pivot point 3 in order to fold a strip of material 10 positioned between the series of tines 8 and the series of tines 9 into a series of uniform pleats for sewing.

It is obvious from viewing the figures that each one of the pleats will be exactly uniform in depth and length to an adjacent pleat. When the series of pleats have been formed by the device the material is grasped adjacent the area indicated at 11. Here, the pleats may be bunched together and pinned so that they are ready for sewing. When the pleats are sewn together about the area 11, a group of three pleats will be provided and the implement may be moved the proper amount of spacing along the strip of material and at that point engaged again with the material to provide three more uniform pleats which will be identical to the first three pleats formed in depth and length.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

When the material has been grasped about the area 11 such that the pleats are bunched together, the operator merely pulls the material to the right as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 and thereby slips the material out from between the two series of tines 8 and 9. The three pleats, still being held in the hand, may then be secured by pins or sewing or the like, wherever desired.

Each of the first series of tines 8 is mounted to a base block 12 and each of the blade tines 9 is mounted to its respective base block 13. Base blocks 12 engage and slide upon mounting plate 14, which is a solid integral part of arm 2. Base blocks 12 are provided with threaded studs 15 which protrude through the slide 16 in mounting plates 14 and are secured to the back sideof mounting plates 14 by threadable engagement of nuts 17.

Similarly, mounting bases 13 engage and are slidable upon the outer surface of mounting plate 18 which is an integral part of arm 1. These mounting bases 13 are provided with threaded studs 19 which pass through the opening or slot 20 in mounting plate 18. These threaded studs'19 are secured by nuts 21 which when tightened rigidly to hold tines 9 in position.

It may be readily visualized that as the thickness of the material varies, one may vary the spacings between the series of tines 8 and the corresponding spacing between the series of tines 9 in order to compensate for the thickness of material passing between the respective series of tines.

The tines 9 do not have to be in blade form as illustrated. A bent tine may be employed which bends and contours with the upper edge of the blade tine 9 as indicated at 22. 5

Also, although the device illustrated is manufactured of metal, it may be also manufactured of many suitable materials such as plastic or the like. The handles 4 and 5 may also be provided with scissor type loop handles.

I claim:

1. A pleat forming device adapted to fold a flat strip of material into a series of pleats for sewing comprising a pair of pivoted arms having intermeshable tines secured to their free ends and positioned to fold material in .a series of pleats when said arms are pivoted toward veach other to intermesh said tines with said material.disposedtherebetween, selected of said tines being movably secured to their respective arms to perrnit the adjustment of lateral spacing between said tines.

2. The pleat forming device of claim 1 characterized in that the tines mounted on one of said arms consist of blades for protrusion between the tines mounted on the 7 other of said arms.

3. A pleat forming device adapted to fold a flat strip of material into a series of pleats for sewing comprising a pair of pivoted arms, said arms providing manipulating handles on one side of said pivot and implement mounting arms on the other, a first and second series of spaced parallel tines mounted to and extending outwardly from both free ends of said implement arms,.

lateral spacing between said tines.

4. The pleat forming device-of claim 3 characterizedin that said tines mounted on one of said arms are a series of blades having parallel faces positioned such that one series of edges formed by said blades will protrude through the spacing between the series of tines mounted on the other arm upon pivoting said arms toward each other. 

1. A pleat forming device adapted to fold a flat strip of material into a series of pleats for sewing comprising a pair of pivoted arms having intermeshable tines secured to their free ends and positioned to fold material in a series of pleats when said arms are pivoted toward each other to intermesh said tines with said material disposed therebetween, selected of said tines being movably secured to their respective arms to permit the adjustment of lateral spacing between said tines.
 2. The pleat forming device of claim 1 characterized in that the tines mounted on one of said arms consist of blades for protrusion between the tines mounted on the other of said arms.
 3. A pleat forming device adapted to fold a flat strip of material into a series of pleats for sewing comprising a pair of pivoted arms, said arms providing manipulating handles on one side of said pivot and implement mounting arms on the other, a first and second series of spaced parallel tines mounted to and extending outwardly from both free ends of said implement arms, said first and second series of tines being positioned to pass and intermesh with each other upon manipulating said arms together about said pivot to fold a strip of material positioned between said first and second series of tines into a series of pleats for sewing, selected of said first and second tines being movably secured to their respective arms to permit the adjustment of lateral spacing between said tines.
 4. The pleat forming device of claim 3 characterized in that said tines mounted on one of said arms are a series of blades having parallel faces positioned such that one series of edges formed by said blades will protrude through the spacing between the series of tines mounted on the other arm upon pivoting said arms toward each other. 